Alpinia zerumbet
naturalizedZingiberaceae

Alpinia zerumbet

Shell ginger

Naturalized (non-native)non-native

Introduced and now reproducing on its own in the wild.

Alpinia zerumbet, commonly known as shell ginger, is a perennial species of ginger native to East Asia. They can grow up to 8 to 10 ft (2.4 to 3.0 m) tall and bear colorful funnel-shaped flowers. They are grown as ornamentals and their leaves are used in cuisine and traditional medicine. They are also sometimes known as the pink porcelain lily, variegated ginger or butterfly ginger.

Read more on Wikipedia →
summary via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA
Seasonality
36 flowering · 2 fruiting annotations · iNaturalist · fetched Jul 2026
JFMAMJJASONDpeak
flowering (peak March) fruiting (peak May)

This is an inference, not a schedule. The curve reflects when observers annotated flowering and fruiting — which tracks observer effort as well as plant behavior, and pools all elevations and islands into one signal. Hawaiʻi’s microclimates vary enormously; a species may fruit in January at sea level and June at elevation. Use this to know when to look, then look.

Gallery · 8 · iNaturalist
open-licensed photos · click any to view its source
Where documented · 85 ahupuaʻa
documented occurrences · iNaturalist + GBIF · iNaturalist 196 · GBIF 269 records
Waikīkī · OʻahuiNat 33 · GBIF 42
Pololū · HawaiʻiiNat 13 · GBIF 23
Honopou · MauiiNat 10 · GBIF 23
Honolulu · OʻahuiNat 10 · GBIF 22
Waimea · OʻahuiNat 12 · GBIF 10
Heʻeia · OʻahuiNat 3 · GBIF 13
Honokōwai · MauiiNat 5 · GBIF 8
Paeahu · MauiiNat 6 · GBIF 5
Kāneʻohe · OʻahuiNat 7 · GBIF 4
Wailuku · MauiiNat 3 · GBIF 8
Wailua · KauaʻiiNat 6 · GBIF 4
Honomū, Kuhua · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 9
Honouliuli · OʻahuiNat 5 · GBIF 4
Pāʻā · KauaʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 5
Kōloa · KauaʻiiNat 5 · GBIF 2
Hanalei · KauaʻiiNat 5 · GBIF 2
Kamaʻole · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 5
Hanakaʻōʻō · MauiiNat 5 · GBIF 1
Lāwai · KauaʻiiNat 4 · GBIF 1
Keahialaka · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 3
South Olohena · KauaʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 1
Kahaliʻi · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 3
Waiākea · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 3
Honokahua · MauiiNat 2 · GBIF 1
ʻŌiʻo 2 · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 2
Hālawa · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 2
Kawaipapa · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 2
Waipouli · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 2
Hanakaʻoe · OʻahuiNat 2 · GBIF 1
Ponahawai · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Hāmākuapoko · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Weliweli · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Onomea · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Kalihiwai · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Pūlehunui · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Waipiʻo · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1